Turning the Dream of Sustainability into Reality

Sustainability is more than a buzzword. It is critical to protecting and improving the water we drink, the air that we breathe, and the diversity of life forms on the planet. Over the centuries, human beings have created engineering marvels and a built environment that has made our lives longer, healthier, and happier.
However, we are still highly dependent on the natural environment. Understanding environmental systems is an active and innovative field of education and research. Moreover, those who dedicate their careers to sustainability typically have a strong sense of service to humanity, other animals, and even the earth itself.

Degrees that are focused on environmental sustainability can go by a broad variety of names. ‘Earth and Marine Sciences’ is typically the catch-all term for the field. However, more specific specialties in environmental science include remote earth sensing, coastal zone management, oceanography and ocean engineering, resource management, and meteorology. Moreover, as the ecosystem is, as the name implies, a system, there is significant crossover between specialties. Creating something sustainable in one area can bring negative consequences to another. Therefore, having an understanding of how a human intervention will affect the entire system is important for the intervention to be effective over the long term.

Undergraduate programs related to sustainability are typically broad ranging in order to prepare students to begin careers in diverse aspects of earth and marine sciences. However, graduate programs are generally more focused. This can pose a dilemma for students seeking graduate education as they need training from a variety of specialties in order to design projects that promote sustainability. Therefore, you might want to choose a school that encourages students to work across specialties in a collaborative environment. Florida Institute of Technology’s (FIT) Department of Marine and Environmental Systems offers master's and doctoral programs in 7 different specialties, but the program emphasizes integrating specialties and developing the ability to work effectively as part of a team.

Science programs that focus on sustainability also typically offer students the opportunity to work on field projects. These programs can be a great way not only to gain real world experience but also to work on a team comprised of members from around the globe who are all passionate about sustainability. While finding the right program for you can take a little more research than it might for other fields, the payoff comes in joining a program that has exactly the training and encouragement you need to do the work you love.

Peterson's has more than 40 years of experience in higher education, and the expert staff members here are all ready to leverage their considerable knowledge and experience to help you succeed on your educational journey. We have the information, the know-how, and the tools -- now all we need is you!

You might want a program that understands your needs as a professional where every aspect of the program is career-oriented. Studying along with other students who are focused on advancing their careers and learning from staff members who have real world experience as well as a passion for teaching can be helpful in translating theoretical knowledge learned in class to the daily work environment.

Both degrees and jobs in computing are becoming increasingly specialized. For this reason, it is more important than ever to fully research a computing degree program so that you can be certain that the program will provide you with the knowledge and experience that you need for your career.

Coastal zone management experts work to better understand the delicate ecosystem of coastal regions. They also must have an understanding of coastal zone policies as well as the socioeconomic issues that affect how people use particular coastal zones.

The complexity of the ecosystem requires that scientists who work to understand and protect the environment often need to work across traditional disciplines. In order to further our knowledge of the ecosystem while also preserving it, this requires an understanding not only of biology, chemistry, and engineering but also of the intricacies of policy making and the human factors related to use of the environment.

While it has always been true that innovation has pushed organizations and industries forward, innovation will likely have more impact and be more important in the 21st century than ever before. For this reason, businesses need to know how to both create and manage innovative products in order to secure and expand their market share.

You’ve probably heard of marine biology, but what exactly do marine biologists do? Although all marine biologists work in areas related to water life, they can be found conducting research in many fields and collaborating with professionals from a broad range of disciplines. Getting a degree in Marine Biology can be the beginning of a scientific adventure that might lead to new advances in medicine, tracking the migration of animals that live in the ocean or in bringing a species back from the brink of extinction.

Few disciplines have inspired humanity as much as aerospace engineering. Many of the technological advances that are now part of our daily lives, such as handheld calculators and non-stick pans, were initially developed to aid in space flight. Today’s aerospace engineers are still working to help us view the edges of the universe as well as improve the way that we live our lives right here on planet earth.

The increasing complexity of computing means that many employers who were previously willing to hire anyone with the skills necessary, even those who taught themselves computers, are now requiring applicants to have computer science degrees. Fortunately, a larger number of colleges and universities are offering flexible degrees that can allow you to continue working while earning the degree that you need to move forward in your career.

Civil engineers work to create the built environment while also shaping the natural environment. Integrating both the hard sciences and esthetics, civil engineers work at the leading edge of engineering to make our lives more efficient, more convenient, and more enjoyable.

Modern aviation is about making a safer and more pleasant flying experience for not only the passengers but also the crew and the pilots. Aviation is an interdisciplinary field encompassing engineering and electronics but also meteorology as well as human psychology and physiology.

Technological advances are bringing new opportunities for cell and molecular biology, and there are applications across a broad variety of fields including not only medicine but agriculture, engineering, and the development of numerous industrial and commercial products.

The two main types of graduate degrees offered are the master's degree and the doctoral degree. Students pursuing doctoral degrees complete their master's degrees first and then move on to their doctoral level work.

Colleges and universities are responding by expanding their part-time executive programs. These programs are scheduled for evening and weekend classes to not interfere with your work schedule. In addition, many programs are using technology to allow students to complete all or part of their program online.